Katherine “Kaki” (Fitzgerald) Boatner

Mrs. Katherine Fitzgerald Boatner, 88, met her Creator and rejoined loved ones gone ahead on Thursday morning from NMMC-Baldwyn Nursing Center following an extended illness. Known by most as “Kaki”,   she was born August 15, 1934 in Union County, Ms. to the union of Ellis J. Fitzgerald and Jenny Black Fitzgerald.  She married Faybon Sutherland Boatner on August 20, 1950 when she was sixteen years old, and they shared forty seven years before his death in 1997.  Katherine worked as a medical office manager employed by Sander’s Clinic for many years before retiring.  She lived several years at Avonlea and more recently at Baldwyn Nursing Home.  Katherine was a member of First Presbyterian Church in New Albany.  Always possessing a delightful countenance, Kaki enjoyed life, brought joy to her family and all her friends and lived a purpose-filled life.

A service celebrating her life will be held at 1 PM Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 from the Sadie Holland Memorial  Chapel  of Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo with Minister Jerry Grammer officiating.  Private entombment will follow in the Chapel of Faith Mausoleum at Lee Memorial Park in Verona. Visitation will be from Noon-service time Saturday only.  For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at www. hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Livestreaming at 1 PM Saturday and will be permanently archived thereafter.

Katherine was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brother, Robert Earnest “Bobby” Fitzgerald who was killed in WWII,  her sister, Mary Elizabeth Dickerson and, recently, her son in law, Robert Kennedy, M.D.

Survivors include her son, Michael Faybon Boatner (Vicki) of Alexandria, LA; three daughters, Elizabeth B.”Beth”  Kennedy  of Oxford, Melanie Leigh Dillard of Tupelo, and Laura Katherine Galloway (Jimmy) of Tupelo; two step brothers, Ellis Boyd Fitzgerald of Aurora, IL and Robert Fitzgerald (Jeanne) of Madisonville, LA; grandchildren, John Michael Boatner (Mindy), Natalie Dawn Westerchil (Paul), and twins, Austin Reeves Haney (Alli Maura) and Cody Sutherland Haney (John); four great-grandchildren, Jacob Connor Timshell-Boatner, Elias Boatner, Aiden Boatner, and Katherine Ann Westerchil.

Memorials may be sent to Tupelo – Lee Humane Society, P. O. Box 2143, Tupelo, MS 38801 or NMMC Home Hospice, 422 A East President St., Tupelo, MS. 38801.  Condolences to the family may be e mailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net